Magazines
by Contraversial-Roses
Summary: Michael and Judith are going out and so is Mia and Showalter. One simple song can change everything. Doesn't fame bring out the best in people?
1. You Destroy me

This is a new fic, by yours truly. Don't worry Meant to Live is still in tact. Somewhere. I'm sorry guys. I'm having major writers block with that. I have too many ideas. But this fic should be good, though. Mainly Michael's POV. This all revaluated from a song from the best band. Its called Magazines by Brand New. Which explains the whole title thing. I'm hoping for 1,000,000 reviews and if I don't get them you shall all suffer… ha ha ha ha ha!!  ;-) Jus' kiddin'. I'll take what I can get. And don't worry. Mia and Michael will end up together in the end… I think. Ha ha ha ha! Enjoy!

**Dis Claimer- Meg Cabot owns everything related Princess Diaries. I own a few characters: Millie and Elli,(they sound annoying already, right?) and Reid**

  
**Michael's POV**  
  
I never knew when I signed up for Computer Club I'd get to miss class. But, you don't normally get to spend time with your girlfriend during Tec so I guess I'm not that misfortunate.  I was working on Crackhead and felt a warm hand on my shoulder. The familiar sent of perfume filled my senses. Judith. "Hey" she said warmly rubbing my shoulder. I smiled to myself and said, "Hey back to you." I could feel her smile run through her fingertips and radiate my body. 

She dropped her hand slowly and stood up straight. "Yes. Okay Michael I think that's a great idea. Be more careful typing you HTML codes next time." I smiled. I knew that someone must have been watching her. Ever since she made an error in having a freshman type her URL name, she's been receiving a lot of eagle eyes. The guy was really horny and wrote SexiiJudithBaresItAll.Albert_Einstein/schoolwebzine.com. Of course he no longer exists in the Computer Club, but all the admiring Judith followers kicked his ass. Including me and Showalter. 

I have to be nice to that guy. He is the boyfriend of the girl I love… I did not say that. Bad Michael. Bad Michael. 

I guess I can confess it to myself already. I mean I like Judith. She's really nice and polite and she's very pretty, but she's not Mia. She's not wonderful, and beautiful, funny, and extravagant. She's not as sensitive and witty. 

Judith is pretty. Mia is beautiful.

The Lunch Bell rang like a slap in the face. I mean, why would you need to put that bell so damn loud? Tell me Vice Principal Gupta, what did we ever do to you? It's great that woman doesn't work in a Pre-school. She'd make all the little children push their weight in finger-paints. 

"Moscovitz? Yo. Moscovitz!" I felt something hit me on the head. Only one-definition ladies and gentlemen: Felix

"May I help you?" I said turning around rubbing the back of my skull. 

"Yeah. We're leaving. Coming?" He asked oh so very intelligently. I tossed his tablet back at him. 

"Yeah, Yeah. I'm coming. Just don't throw your diary at me anymore. Maybe I'll quicken my pace…" 

I love pissing him off.

"It's not a diary! And without it, I'd never be able to play your sappy songs, so stop complaining." Felix remarked.  I grabbed my folders and notebooks and headed for the fire-haired idiot I call a band mate. 

"How'd you get in here anyway?" I asked once we were out of earshot.

"What'd you mean?" he asked reaching into his gray bag hanging over his shoulder. 

"I mean you're not the brightest bulb in the package, so to speak. Everyone knows you from Skinner Box and you're a Junior… how'd you get in the Tec lab for the Computer Club?"

"Easy" he said taking a green granny-smith out of his bag. 

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What?"

"We're going to lunch, dolt." I said pointing towards the apple. 

"I'm hungry. It's a long walk." Felix said biting his apple.

I just silently shook my head. 

We entered the main hall. Swarms of teenagers came flying through classroom doors fleeing to their lockers. A mess of male students flew passed me and jumped to see their friends and girlfriends. 

"So Felix," I said as a purple haired girl shoved passed me in her cheerleading uniform. "You never finished telling me what you did to get into the Tec lab."

"Oh yeah!" he said juice dripping down his chin. "I told the guy in the front that I'd given him tickets to the show on the 17th."  I stopped dead in my tracks. 

"You did WHAT?!" I yelled facing him.

He looked taken aback "Chill, Moscovitz. It's not biggie."

 "Felix, I understand you aren't the brightest, but that shows been soled out for about two weeks now. What do you think we can magically make tickets appear?" I asked my ears burning.

"Michael, I think you are missing one minor detail." He said his mouth filled with apple.

"What's that?" I asked folding my arms.

"We're the band."

"And…" I asked as I watched him swallow.

"And so what we say goes. If it wasn't for us there'd be no show, dude." He said.

We entered the cafeteria to hear the usual buzz of people chatting and gossiping. 

"Hey Felix?" I said one last time before grabbing a lunch tray.

"Moscovitz."

"Do you really think my songs are sappy?" I asked puppy-eyed.

Felix shoved me and grabbed his usual nachos with 60 tons of cheese. He shoved it into his apple-covered mouth. "Lafer Mucoyits" He muffeled through cheese. 

"Yeah. Later Felix." I said grabbing a cheeseburger and heading towards my usual spot next to Judith. She was sitting with her usual drones. One girl from the computer club, and two morons from the track team. Millie and Ellie. Can't get more drone then that. 

"But, Ellie," Millie said chewing her salad leaf. "That's so illogical!" she yelped. 

"No. It's not really. Not to those with open minds." Judith shot back with a sly grin.

Okay, my bet is you're thinking they're having this really in-depth conversation about the world, or politics right? Just continue listening…

Millie chomped on her cucumber. "Nuh-uh! It totally doesn't make sense, Jude! Elli's way off the boat. You can not write in blood!"

"You soo can," Elli said. "If you stuck yourself with a thick pin and squeezed your finger, like, really hard, blood would shoot out and you could use the pin to make letters." 

"Ewe." Millie said pushing back her salad. 

I rest my case… not the best conversationalists. 

"Oh. Another reverting conversation I missed between the DT's… darn." I said sitting down between Reid and Judith. Judith smiled lightly at me then turned to her friend Adam on her left. 

"Oh shut up, Michael!" Ellie said. 

"Are you coming to the meeting after school?" she asked him and revved up a conversation. I turned to Reid on my right.

Reid was staring down at his fingertips at a book slightly clutched in his grasp. He's a slightly thin guy with shaggy blond hair and hazel eyes. Very tall, too. His skin was an olive colour and my guessings would be, that if he wasn't always cramming for tests and on his laptop, that'd he'd be the heart throb. 

Reid has to be one of my best friends. I remember last year when that guy tried to beat me up. Reid and I stayed online until two am sending him viruses. Good times…

"Do you think that I sh-" I began but he cut me off.

"Sorry can't talk. I have to read this by last period. Letch is killin' us with work!" he said.

"Do you have to finish it?" I asked biting into my cheeseburger. 

"Yeah."

"But, Reid… you're on page 83 out of 270."

"Yeah yeah don't remind me." Reid said waving a hand. I laughed silently and turned to my girlfriend.

Her hair looked almost gold with the sunshine from the windows pouring onto her. Judith's eyes are a deep green and when she looks at you, you'd think she could read your soul. I'd be surprised if she can't.

"Michael." She said softly under the racket of the cafeteria. 

"Hmm?" I said blinking.

"You're staring." Judith said smiling.

"Hard not to." I said. I flashed her one last smile and then turned back to my real love: my cheeseburger.

Kidding….

[END CHAPTER ONE! YAY FOR MAUREEN! Okay, I'm thinking this is going somewhere. And please please don't hurt me. Diversity is good! And guys remember while reviewing (which I know you all will) that Judith _is _Michael's girlfriend. He has to be attracted to her. So please don't send me an angry mob. Okay but here's a little poll. Who's more annoying? Ellie or Millie

DUN DUN DUN! REVIEW!

Love ya!

-[MetaLheaD]_


	2. So I can't see why

Tada! The well-awaited chapter two… I hope. I'm writing this at 7:43 and I still have to go to school… heh heh heh. I realized my own mistake. If Mia and Michael never went out, the name Skinner Box has not occurred yet. Sorry! My mistakes!! The name of the band is now called Lose Ties.

Your winner is Ellie as the most annoying out of Millie and Ellie. As if we all didn't know that was coming… Please don't be angry with me about the time this took. I have midterms all this week, and my grandfather just passed away. ARGH! STRESS!!

**And one last thing then I swear I'll shut up. I don't know if I made this clear or not but let me point out one thing…**

MICHAEL LIKES JUDITH!!! HE IS ATTRACTED TO HER.

**-Puts on Dr. Phil glasses- As a teenage boy, he is hormonal. To have attractions to (lets face it) attractive teenage girls, is not a strange thing, believe me.**

**Ok now that that's out of the way, Onto the Chapter!**

** DISCLAIMER: ****Meg Cabot owns everything relevant… such as plot, and main characters. I sadly, own Reid, Adam, Shane and Joseph. : Shudders on Joseph: I do not own Felix. That also belongs to Meg Cabot… and Felix also belongs to Legs, but in a different sense… heh heh heh  ;-) The first song belongs to Maroon 5 and the second one belongs to Blink182. **

****

Michael's POV  
  
Note to self: Buy new guitar strings. I'm blistering my fingers on these stupid strings. Hopefully I can persuade Maya to go and get me some. I'm dying here…. I hope that didn't sound as gay as I thought it did. Eek.   
  
I was in the middle of my second chorus when I heard Lilly screaming up the stairs. "Michael! MICHAEL! PHONE FOR YOU!"  
  
"What?!" I yelled back placing my guitar on the floor next to my desk.   
  
"PICK UP YOU OAF!" she screeched up the stairs. I heard Lilly sigh and breathe "Oi…"   
  
"YES SATAN!" I screamed back before picking up the receiver. I heard Lilly laugh evilly then mumble something to herself. God she's scary…  
  
"Harmony House, Michael speaking." I said into the mouth piece and swirling around in my chair. I heard static and honking from the other end.  
  
"Hello?" said a muffled voice from the other end. I could barley make it out, but established it was Adam, Judith's close friend from the computer club.  
  
"Adam?" I said into the phone. But I spoke to silence. Whoever was there was losing their connection. "HELLO?!" I yelled into the phone. "Ahh! Jesus, Michael!" screamed Adam. "Sorry, Adam. You weren't answering so I didn't know if you were still there." I said. I turned to my computer and clicked the solitaire button. I think I'm becoming addicted (A/N: based on a true story… tear). "Yeah. Hey I just wanted to know if you had received any word of whether or not we're having a computer club meeting on the fifth?"  
  
I squinted over to my calendar. I had scribbled concert dates and a few computer club meeting dates. I'm so pathetic I even marked the concert days in blue and the computer club meetings in red. It is so sad. Even Reid says I need to get out more. And Reid's entire life revolves around his computer and his dedications to Lose Ties, which is not even a really great band yet considering we don't have a keyboard player. Seems as if a band wouldn't need one, but we need one badly..  In any event, my calendar read that we had a meeting that day and I'm sure Adam was getting pretty tired of waiting so I responded. 

"Yup. Meeting on the 5th from 4-6." I said into the black mouthpiece.

  
"K. Thanks." Adam said quickly then hung up.

Gee what a nice guy.

It's really kind of obvious he likes Judith. I wish he'd just come out and say it so him and Judith can go out and Mia and me can go out…

Oh Zeus I did not just say that. 

Luckily, I did not have to deal with my stupid emotions long because just then Lilly and her friend Tina came bursting into my room. Well, actually Lilly came bursting in and Tina just sort of awkwardly walked behind her staring at me and giggling a lot. Thank Isis that Judith doesn't giggle or I might've shot myself.

Just realized something. Isis is the cat god. Oh   my   Lord.

"What the hell is your problem!?" Lilly asked me red faced.  
  
I thought for a minute.

"Hmmm. Well, there's always the 'Little sister and her best friend standing in my while I'm trying to have a decent moment with my good buddy Adam on the phone' scenario, but aside from that, I'm also allergic to oranges." 

She seriously looked like she was going to hit me. She raised her arm and I squealed. Not even kidding. I'm not weak. Lilly's just strong. Tina laughed but Lilly shot her a glare that could seriously kill, so she shut up.

"You…" she said. "Are so going to pay. I heard everything about you and selling those stupid tickets to the computer club thing so you could miss a free period. I hate you."

"First Lilly, as superb as it is being threatened by you, I did not sell any tickets. Nor, did I in fact miss any periods today. There's also one last flaw in your plan. Why would I give the computer club guard tickets to not tell that I'm sneaking into it, _when I'm in it?_" I said standing up from my chair and putting the phone on the receiver.

"I thought you said Adam was on the other line?" Tina asked.

"No. He hung up on me awhile ago." I said leaning back in my chair.

Lilly stared at me for a long time before saying. "We'd better get in, Michael Moscovitz. Every single one of us. Me, Tina, Boris, Mia, Kenny, Shameeka, Joseph, all of us. We all paid you for tickets to that show a while back. So I'm letting you know, if one person does not get into this show that contains to that list, hell will break lose." She said before grabbing Tina and leaving.

She is so scary. And why is Joseph Sullivan coming to the concert? That kid urks me.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
"1…1…123!" Yelped Reid from behind me on drums. Then Felix started playing on bass, and before I knew it I was singing. 

  
_"You build me up_

_You knock me down_

_Provoke a smile_

_You make me frown _

_You are the queen of run a round_

_You know its true"_

Then Felix chimed in

""You chew up you spit me out 

_Enjoy the taste I leave in your mouth_

_You look at me I look at you_

_Neither of us knows what to do.""_

"Stop Stop!" I yelled into the mic. I looked around the cold cellar. It was only four days until the concert and this song still wasn't right. They had sold out tickets for about three weeks. We eventually found a keyboarder to play with us for the show on the 17th named Shane. He seemed talented enough to play. Plus, he's a really good writer. In fact, he wrote the song we were trying to perform before we messed it up. 

"We're still a bit shaky in the third line." I said to everyone. Felix and Reid looked at each other and smiled. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing." Felix said looking at his feet.

Thankfully, Shane spoke up, "Look, since we can't have this done by 17th, why don't we just start rehearsing the other songs. This song can wait, we've been going at it for about an hour and should seriously move on." 

The kid's got a point.

"Alright," Felix said into the mic. "Let's do Asthenia."

Everyone agreed and on Reid's count, we drummed our way into Asthenia written by Felix. The parts for that song are hard to do because they're so quick. (**A/N: Bold is Michael and no bold is Felix)**   
  
**Last night it came as a picture  
With a good reason, a warning sign  
This place is void of all passion  
If you can imagine it's easy if you try  
**Believe me I failed this effort**  
I wrote a reminder this wasn't a vision  
This time where are you Houston  
**Is somebody out there will somebody listen Then a clash of guitars and drums mixed.   
**Should I go back Should I go back Should I  
**I feel alone and tired**  
Should I go back Should I go back Should I  
**I hope I won't forget you  
  
And so the song rang on. We made a list of all the songs at the end of practice that we were going to perform during the concert. By the time I got home, all I wanted to do is sleep. And I did. For about 7 hours… but was awoken by the squealing of girls in our kitchen. As usual…  
  
  
**HERES MY RHYME  
HOPE I POST IT IN TIME  
DONE CHAPTER 2  
NOW TIME TO REVIEW**

Oh yeah… I'm so awesome. EVERYONE CONGRADULATE KLUTZY!! SHE MADE IT IN TO ST. ANTHONYS!! IT PRODUCES HARDVARD STUDENTS!!! YAY 4 KLUTZY!!  
  
Love ya,  
[-MetaLheaD_]


	3. I Feel So Lonely

**Dear Readers,**

**I decided to finish the story before I grew tired of it and post crap I don't even think is attention-grabbing any more. This is why the last chapters have been slow and about a couple months wait. First I just gave up at the story all together. Then yesterday I was looking through the stuff on my documents, and realized how raw the story still was. To all attentive readers, thanks a ton for your patience and now all the chapters will flow together once again.**

**  
DISCLAMIER- I own nothing that will be relevant to the actual Princess Diaries. _That_ belongs to Meg Cabot. I do however own Cara. Oh and the song wasn't mine. The first song in the last chapter belonged to Maroon5 and the second the Blink182. **

**Now that all the lawsuits are out of the way, Onto the Chapter  
  
The attention-grabbing shit I live for**

**;)**

****

****

**Last Chapter**

By the time I got home, all I wanted to do is sleep. And I did. For about 7 hours… but was awoken by the squealing of girls in our kitchen. As usual…

_  
_**Michael's POV (obviously)**

****

"Oh My God!!"  
  
Was the annoying sound that woke me from my sleep. Obviously Lilly had some guests over. It sounded a lot like Lilly's friend, Tina. She was always happy and perky like that.   
  
"It's not that big of a deal…" said the next voice. That sounded a lot like Mia's. I could distinctly pick out her voice even if she was miles away… shut up, Moscovitz.

"Yes it is!!" squealed Tina. "It's soo romantic…" she trailed off. What? What are they talking about?   
  
I got out of my bed and walked to the door of my bedroom. I leaned my ear up against it for perfect spying technique. I read all about this stuff. They should make me a secret agent. I wouldn't even need that much training. All the tricks on spying on your little sister, her friend and your true love are casually rolled up my sleeve.

I did not just say that.  
  
Fortunately, I did not have to deal with these feelings long. Because, being the master spy I am, I forgot the door was already open and after pressing my weight against the door I realized that I may need more training then I thought, because my door flung open and I fell out of my room onto my face.

Silence…

"Wow. That was smooth." Lilly cackled. And then they went off. Tina started giggling and some girl with red hair I've never seen before smiled and chuckled. But Mia didn't smile. She just looked up from her diary to see a red faced me standing up.

"Okay. So we definitely know now what gravity is, girls? Yes, okay. Well, I'm going to… um… sink back into my room to call Judith now…" then I saluted and started to run back into my room Lilly called my name.   
  
"Michael… Don't you want to meet my friend Cara?" Lilly asked mischievously. I knew she was up to something, so I wittily answered,  
  
"Why of co- Wait... you have friends?"   
  
 Lilly rolled her eyes at me. "Get over yourself for one minute and come down here." She demanded. Did I ever mention Lilly's scary? Well, she is. Some would even go as far to say she's terrifying. So I walked down the stairway to the kitchen to find a pretty attractive girl sitting in my kitchen. And no, it wasn't Mia this time.

"Michael," Lilly began. "This," she gestured to the red head whom was now staring at me. "Is my friend Cara. We met at Mia's press conference this afternoon." She explained.

"Uh-huh…" I said noticing that Cara looked in a word: cool. I'm not one to base stereotypes, but I mean, c'mon. She had an eyebrow ring!   
  
"Hey." She said to me sticking out her hand.  
  
"Hi. I'm Michael." I said confidently. Yep. Go me. I can remember my own name.   
  
"Wait… Michael… Michael Moscovitz? From Loose Ties?" She asked wide-eyed.   
  
"Um… Yes." I said.  
  
"Oh my gosh!!" Cara said standing up. "I've seen at least three of your shows!" She said.  
  
I was totally bewildered. "Really?" I said in an interested tone. This is so cool. I've never had a fan before. Wait till I tell Felix.   
  
"How many shows have you played?" Tina asked.  
  
"About… five?" I said. Hey, I'm proud of it! That's five more then I played when I was in that great band Computers Rock. None of us even ever really played instruments. We just liked Blink182 to the point where we pretended to have drums and a base and I played guitar and sang while the other guys screamed…. Good times.  
  
"Well excuse me, Mr. Rock Star." Lilly said annoyingly. "But I'm trying to conduct a show here. And now that you've met Cara, I suggest you leave before I make you in it."  
  
I was about to make a snide, sarcastic comment before the phone rang. Our kitchen has this weird café layout, so I had to push pass Mia to answer the phone. I kind of "accidentally" brushed against her shoulder and lingered my hand on the chair.   
  
I was happy to see Felix's name glow onto our caller-ID. Now I can tell him about our fan and how "cool" she really is.   
  
"Hey Felix." I said picking up the phone.  
  
"How'd you know it was me?" he answered sounding amazed. He's not so technology coordinated.  
  
"I'm a telekinetic super genius." Which is half true…   
  
"SERIOUSLY?" I felt my head throbbing with Felix's stupidity.  
  
"No! I used the Caller-ID button."  
  
"Oh. OH! Sorry, Moscovitz. I'm a little out of it." He answered truthfully. As much of a greatly musically talented guy he is, I must admit he can be a bit dim. **(A/N: I must dedicate this line to Chrissy Isola, as I was thinking of you as I wrote this line.)**  
  
"Yeah you always are. Anyway, guess who's sitting in my kitchen?" I said.  
  
"Hmm… Paul Zimmer?" I was astonished.  
  
"Felix, how do you know who Paul Zimmer is?" I asked.  
  
"Well, gee he's only one of the greatest legendary authors ever known." He said like what I asked was a stupid question.  
  
"Yes…"  
  
"I read his books like three times!" He said.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Wow…" I said.  
  
"What?" he said. "The guys, like, a fricken genius. What, do you think I wouldn't read his books?" He asked.  
  
"No, no that's not it. I just didn't know you could read…" I said.   
  
"Very Funny." He said. I laughed loudly into the mouthpiece.   
  
"Yes," I said confidently. "Yes I am. But enough about me, and back to my kitchen." I turned to see Lilly, Tina and Cara laughing over the magazine. But Mia was watching over the shoulders of Tina, not laughing. In fact, she looked extremely upset. I didn't want to say anything though, in front of Lilly so I just gave her a smile and turned back to my phone conversation.   
  
"DUDE!!" was the word the lost me out of my Mia trance. "Who's in your kitchen already!?" Felix demanded. Whoops.  
  
"…Huh? Oh! Felix, you're not going to believe this, but we have a DETICATED FAN!!" I practically squealed into the phone. Real manly, huh?

"Whoa…. DUUUUUUUUDE! And he's at your house? Let me talk to him!" He said sounding very exultant.   
  
"Her."  
  
"Then I must talk to HER. Please? I've dreamed of having fans my whole life!" He said pleadingly.   
  
"Yeah sure hang on."  I covered the mouthpiece and perceived over to Cara.   
  
"Hey Cara. Felix wants to talk to you."  Was all that needed to be said before she jumped out of her seat and rushed to the phone. She gracefully curtsied to me after I handed her the phone. I laughed lightly as to not interrupt their conversation.

Heading over back to my room I passed Mia and brushed her shoulder gently. But that's all I could do considering she has a boyfriend and I have a girlfriend. But who knows. Maybe some day my fingers won't have to linger and they can take their time.

"Michael James Moscovitz just tell me already!" Judith squealed into the phone. I told her I had a surprise waiting for her and that she should come over right away to see what it is.  
  
"Nope." I protested. "You have to come over and look for yourself." I told her.   
  
"Michael you know I hate surprises!! Just tell me!" she squeaked.  
  
"Nope. See you in ten minutes." I said and hung up. Heh heh. Here comes the shock of her month.

Judith arrived looking flushed. Her cheeks were pink and her long, brunette hair was wind-blown all over her black coat.   
  
I opened the door to see her standing there with a grin. I kissed her on the check and invited her in. She looked around as she took off her gloves.   
  
"Well," she said to me once her gloves were safely tucked away in her coat pocket, "At least I know nothing's going to blow up on me!" she said with a smile. I took her coat from her and told her to wait by my bedroom door.   
  
After hanging up her coat, I rushed over to my bedroom door.  I saw her standing by my door in her jeans and purple sweater. Fit her perfectly. I kissed her one last time before heading inside my bedroom to light the candles I had set up.   
  
A few little burns later and a light dim I was ready for Judith.   
  
"C'mon in." I yelled nervously. My hands felt sweaty around the box in my pocket. I prayed she accepted.

Judith's brunette locks swiveled around the door and I heard her announce, "Ready or not here I come." Then the doorknob turned. My heart rate increased and decreased at the same time. I grasped the box once more and then she entered.

**JUDITH'S POV**(first and only time)

There was Michael standing in the center of a candle-lit room. He looked absolutely strikingly good-looking as he was standing in the middle of the room with a tee shirt that read **"NIRVANA. FOREVER AND TOMORROW" **and black pants. His hair was gently falling in his eyes as it always does. Suddenly he spoke to me in a nervous-yet sexy- voice.   
  
"Judith," he said taking a step towards me and closing the door behind me, "I know you're thinking I'd forget, but I wouldn't do that to you. I mean, I'm not _that _stupid." He took my hand and sat me down on his bed. Then he took a small box out from his side pocket. He handed me the box and with a small kiss he said, "Happy Anniversary."    
  
I opened the box and gasped. It was a beautiful silver necklace with my birthstone in the center. I felt a tear in my eye. "Oh gosh." I said to him with a small smile, "Michael, it's beautiful. I love it." And then I kissed him. Longer then he had intended I guess by the way afterward he just brushed my hair away from my eye.   
  
"Open the bottom." He said to me and pointed back to the box. I lifted the box cover and saw two concert tickets. To what show, I had no idea. I held the ticket near the candle and read the top.

MAROON5

[opening act- No Good Reason New Jersey]

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

SEAT AA7

I gasped again. Maroon5 was my all time favorite band. "Michael! THESE ARE INCREDIBLE!!" I kissed him again. "You're amazing." I said.

[ please don't hate me. O:-) ]

**Mucho love**

**[MetaLheaD]**


	4. When you and me could be Forever

**You know, I am sorry to all the people who totally gave up on me. But I didn't want a no ending like Meant to Live. I didn't know it would make people so angry with me to start and stop again. I'm very sorry if I upset anyone but hopefully you'll forgive me and take chapters of tokens of my appreciation.   
  
MY LOVELY REVIWERS:  
  
Authentic—Karen, Karen. What am I going to do with you my little perfectionist? You're killin' me! D E D I C A T E D. Thanks for the long review, hon. I needed it.**

**  
KristinMilly—Hope I spelled that right… anyway, I am going to continue because now I have written the whole story. **

**Lilly—Why would I leave you with that ending? Gees!! I'm not THAT mean ;) In all honesty, I thought Isis was the cat god. My friend's cat's name is Isis and she told me it was the god's name. Naturally, I thought THE CAT GOD. Stupid me, she of course meant the god of women… -rolls eyes- You'll have to excuse the information I get from my friends because it's normally wrong. **

**Even though I only had three reviews, I'm still updating. Only because I love them.**

**  
The first song, Breathing, is by Yellowcard. Ocean Avenue is an incredible CD and I encourage anyone to purchase it. Actually, I'm such a nerd; the second song is theirs too! : -P**

**Here's my chapter…**

****

**MICHAEL'S POV**

Breathing 

By: Michael Moscovitz and Shane Sorrintenio.

(Michael-regular Felix-**bold**. Both-_Italicized.)_

My eyes are feeling heavy but they never seem to close.

The fan plates on the ceiling spin but the air is never cold.

**And even though you're next to me I still feel so alone.**

I just can't give you anything for you to call your own.

And I can feel you 

Breathing and it's keeping me awake.

_Can you feel it beating?_

_My heart sinking._

_Like a weight._

There's something I've been keeping locked _away behind my lips._

**I can feel it breaking free with **_each and every kiss._

I couldn't bear to hurt you but it's all so different now.

**Things that I've been sure of they've all filed me up with doubt.**

And I can feel you 

Breathing and it's keeping me awake.

_Can you feel it beating?_

_My heart's sinking._

_Like a weight._

I can feel you breathing.

**It's keeping**

Me awake.

How am I supposed to feel about the things I've done?

I don't know if I should stay or turn around and run.

I know that I hurt you.

Things will never be the same.

The only love I ever knew I through it all away.

_And I can feel you_

Breathing and it's keeping me awake.

_Can you feel it beating?_

My heart's sinking 

_Like a weight._

I can feel you breathing.

**It's keeping.**

Me awake.

"Wow, Moscovitz." Said Felix. "That's some deep shit. Awesome, too. We should totally play it next week for the show. "

"Thanks Felix. I'm glad you take my artistic work as 'deep shit', which could've also been a reference as a pile of dog waste you just stepped in." I said to Felix with a livid accent, even I could tell I was being bitchy to him.

"Whoa…cool off, Michael. Sor-ry. I didn't mean to insult your 'artistic work'. I guess all of you think I'm not smart enough to make a witty, complex remark?" Felix said sounding pretty aggravated with me.

"No, man. I didn't mean it like that." I said sympathetically. Damn, why was I being such an ass?

"Whatever, dude. I'm taking five." He said then pulling the guitar off around his neck and stomping out of the room with his jacket slinking over his shoulder.

Shit.

The band looked at me. Four eyes questioned my knowledge in my actions. Damn, I feel like my head is going to explode. I signal to Jake to continue playing drum beats for the new song, but after about two I had to leave that building. I had to re-capture what had happened the night before. It was just too dreadful to try and write about something so raw. So, fresh with disappointments.

I told the band I was going out for a few minutes. Instead of their normal yelling at me for procrastinating, they all mutely nodded and Shane handed me my jacket.

Once outside, I took in a huge breath and gave myself a surge of energy. Even though the New York air smells as if someone lit a cigarette in your face, then spewed hot dogs on you whilst driving away with a broken exhaust pipe, it was invigorating.

I sat walked down to a diminutive, murky alley and relaxed my throbbing skull on a brick infested building. I need to think. I need to not think.

I re-capped what had happened the night before.

I had just given Judith her anniversary necklace, which cost me a pretty penny, but she was well worth it. Judith meant the world to me.

After the necklace, she was dazzled. I figured, just to make her night more magical, I'd sing her the song I wrote. All about the love I shared for her and only her.

This, my readers, was my downfall.

_Judith kissed me with all the tenderness left inside her soft, gentle body. "Thank you so much, Michael. I knew you'd remember it." She whispered._

_"Well, you know me. Always prepared." I joked. She laughed lightly, and I got the sense she didn't get it. "Hey, I've got a little present for you." I said standing up off my bedside. _

"Really?" she asked questioningly. "Wow, Michael. You're going all out!" she giggled.

"I figured since I forgot the last one…" I said embarrassed.

She laughed and took my hand.

_ I walked her over to my computer chair and turned on my lamp. I needed the light to play, after all. I fished through some papers on my desk and found the exact song I had wrote for her after our first date. I asked her to sit in my computer chair as I tuned my guitar. _

_Soon I started to make the humming noises I do to tune my voice so it doesn't crack in the middle of my song, which sucks. Then, I started to sing. I sang the song I had written for Judith. The song I **wished **I had written about Judith._

_"Well," I said in the beginning of my song. "I wrote this for next year. When, we, __um, move to off college. You know, to remember me by." Judith had been accepted to an Ivory school in Europe and I was going to Columbia. Needless to say, it was going to be difficult to stay in touch. _

If I could I would do all of this again  
Travel back in time with you to where this all began  
We could hide inside ourselves and leave the world behind  
And make believe there's something left to find  
  
We'll be miles apart  
I'll keep you deep inside  
You're always in my heart  
A new life to start  
I may be leaving but you're always in my heart  
  
Now we've all grown up, gone on and moved away  
Nothing I can do about it, nothing I can say  
To bring us back to where we were when life was not this hard.  
Looking back it all just seems so far, so far away  
  
We'll be miles apart  
I'll keep you deep inside  
You're always in my heart  
A new life to start  
I may be leaving but you're always in my heart  
  
I'd give it up for just one more day with you  
Give it up for just one more day   
I'd give it up for just one more day with you  
You're blonde hair shining on the courtyard.__

I'd give it up for just one more day with you.

I'd give it up for just one more day with you  
Give it up, give it all away   
I'd give it up for just one more day with you

You're blonde hair shining on the courtyard.  
  
We'll be miles apart  
I'll keep you deep inside  
You're always in my heart  
A new life to start  
I may be leaving but you're always in my heart  
  
I need you now, we're miles apart  
I'll keep you deep inside  
You're always in my heart  
I need you now, we're miles apart  
I may be leaving but you're always in my heart.

The song had ended with Judith in tears. I didn't think she'd have this much of a reaction to it. She looked up at me, tears streaming down the sides of her cheeks. I could see her silver eyeliner glistening under her eyes.

_Judith grabbed my hand and looked deep into my eyes. "Michael," she said in such a whisper her voice trembled softly. "Michael, my hair is brown." _

** Dun dun dun. And you guys wondered how I would end it! PUH-LEASE!! **

**End of this chapter! Of course, it was a short one, but the next will be longer and better.**

**If you review, I'll update. I promise ;)**


	5. Perfectly perfect together, I know

**_My lovely readers,_**

I hope you liked my little dose of angst in the last chapter. If you didn't get why Judith was crying, then go back and read it again! Ha, just kidding loves.

**Congrats to me! I've successfully sung my song to REAL HUMANS!!!******

Sorry about last chapter. It was pretty short, but in future chapters I promise to try and extend whatever's already written.

**Mucho Love. Here's my little story.**

MICHAEL'S POV

****

RECAP FROM LAST CHAPTER- 

_Judith grabbed my hand and looked deep into my eyes. "Michael," she said in such a whisper her voice trembled softly. "Michael, my hair is black."_

She had left me with a soft kiss on the cheek. She knew about my secret and how I had loved _her_ since I was in 9th grade. I'm glad she took it the way that she did. She understands me more then I do. If I had known whom I was writing my songs about, I would have made myself confess. I had no idea. Denial? Perhaps. But I loved Judith. A lot. But, I screwed that over. I always do.

I feel tears run down my cheeks as my skull senses the cold bricks I slam into. Damn. What is wrong with me? I'm horrible. I do not even deserve to see Judith. I cannot believe I put her through what I did. Her older brother should viciously attack me, but she's too sweet and innocent about the whole thing to sick Big Mark on me.

"Michael?" I hear faintly to my right. Greaaat. This is just what I need. Fan girls. **_Now!?_** Now God gives me fan girls?

"Michael? Is that you?" The person asks. I her softly whisper to herself, "Oh, God I hope he's not dead."__

I turn to face who ever it is and to my shock, it's Lilly's 'cool' friend Cara. __

"Michael?" she asks again. Her eyebrow ring shining in my pupil, her face lit up once she saw that I am, yes, in fact a living, breathing human.

"Yeah. Yeah, Cara. It's me." I say backing into the light of the alley so she can see me.

"Whoa. What happened to you? Some druggies kick your ass or something?" She said nodding towards my forehead. I feel where she was acknowledging. Blood drips off my fingertips. Great. This day is just particularly peachy.

"No. Just a little bit of mental beating." I say sarcastically.

"Well," she said. "Whatever the hell you did to yourself here, we gotta get this fixed up." Then Cara bluntly took my wrist and pulled me along beside her.

We walked for 2 minutes in silence, me mainly just observing my wound. "So why are you down at this part of town?" I inquired to Cara.

"Oh, I just love hanging around sinister alleyways late at night searching for thrashed musicians." She said sarcastically. I smiled at her lightly. Humor is definitely an essential for me right now. She throws me her biggest cheese and makes me laugh a little. Wow. Me. Laughing. What an exotic emotion. I look up from my feet. I see us crossing a familiar street corner. Oh, no.

"Where are we going, Cara?" I asked her looking towards the sky. Rain must coming.

She smiled mischievously and answered, "You will see."  
  
I heard a loud BOOM of thunder and Cara jumped about twenty feet.  
  
"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" she screeched as she practically jumped into my arms. I looked down at her with confusion. I've never known anyone so afraid of thunder.  
  
"Sorry." She said detaching herself from me. Cara looked kind of embarrassed, but it was nothing that couldn't be solved with her peppy smile. "I'm a little scared of… um… storms"  
  
"Haha," I laughed. "I didn't think you were afraid of anything!"  
  
And with that we continued walking and talking about our fears.

I was tugged along until we reached her destination. I stood outside, mouth open. She could **not **be doing this to me. By the intelligently planted smirk on her face I knew this was her destination. We were here. Mia's place.

****

MIA'S POV

_She doesn't have. _

_The answer yet, _

_The answer yet. _

_I'm breathin' down her neck. _

_Maybe I Should give it time. _

_If it were up to me, _

_She would know that _

_She'll be the one _

_Who when I'm dead will use my bed. _

_She'll spend her life _

_Thinkin of us and making a fuss. _

_If it were up to me—_**BUZZ BUZZ**

I turned Rooney down to hear the people downstairs buzzing my apartment. I put my medical book aside. I had been studying it for a while anyway. Lilly's new friend Cara suggested it to me and it turned out to be really helpful. 

"MOM!" I yelled. I didn't feel like visitors. After screeching my mother's name about four times did I realize she wasn't home. I pulled a sweat-jacket over my pajama top and slipped my slippers back on. Ha ha. Slipped my slippers. ****

****

**BUZZ BUZZ**

Whoops... 

I ran to the door where the speaker was. "Yeah?" I said into the mouthpiece. 

"Mia?" crackled the voice from the other side of the speaker. "Mia are you there?" she said. I couldn't tell who it was at first, but after she asked me if I was at home did I pick up her Buffalo accent. 

"Hey, Cara." I said brushing a piece of hair away from my face. 

"Hey hon. I've got a guest with me. It just started to rain and we're drenched! Let me up?" she said pleadingly. Guest? I turned off my television. I wasn't watching it anyway. I pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail. Hey, whoever it was had some nerve coming to me at 10:00 at night anyway. I changed into my kitty pajamas at around 8:00 just to be comfortable. 

I buzzed them in. 

"C'mon up." I said. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a soda. Cara is known to talk… a lot. I need to stay conscious for this girl.  
  
I opened my soda and heard a thud on the door. I rushed over to the door and pried off the sixty locks my mother put on the entry to our apartment _you have to buzz into anyway.  
_  
I opened the door to see Cara's red hair and eyebrow ring. I looked up to the tall, shadowed figure behind her. He was at least a head taller then Cara, so he was about a half a head taller then me, considering my immensely fast-growing height. He stepped into the light above my doorway. I looked deep into his chocolate eyes. The oh-so familiar eyes stared back at me and smiled. Michael. 

**MICHAEL'S POV** ****Mia gasped at the sight of me. Am I really that hideous?! Then I remembered my 'battle wound' and smiled to her. Cara smirked towards me and gave my arm a little tug to inside of Mia's apartment. She knew.  
  
"Nice place you got here, Princess." Cara said whipping her feat on my mat and of course, breaking the silence, which, much to my surprise, wasn't immensely awkward. Mia flushed a bit. She obviously hadn't done much cleaning today. Her laundry was piled up on the tiny stairway to her room.   
  
Her room.  
  
I have had dreams that always start out with that room. The dreams are about Mia IMing me from her room, laughing, as she always does. Even though I'm pretty damn sure I'm not a funny guy. Then she comes over to the apartment and we laugh some more and it's normally a hazy-love filled- chick flick dream.  
  
For some reason though, whenever I wake up, I don't feel dizzy with love, but normally like a stalker.  
  
"Yeah, well," Mia said locking the four-chained door behind us. "As you might've noticed by now, this is not the palace."   
  
Cara laughed. "Have you been reading the hardback I gave you?" she asked walking into the kitchen.   
  
"Yeah." Mia said brushing hair away from her eyes. "Just was before you arrived I was filling up my mind with those facts."   
  
What are they talking about?  
  
"Well," Cara said munching on a cookie she had just plucked out of a jar on Mia's counter. I stood there awkwardly as a new guest would, but I've been to Mia's more then 50 times! Cara sat there in her kitchen as if she almost lived there, but had never been to Mia's before. Cara finished her cookie and began her sentence.  
  
"Perhaps," she said dusting off cookie crumbs, "You could help my partner here. See, he was beat up in an alley some time this evening, but refuses to let me help him. I told him about this **fantastic **studying-to-be doctor whom I had just recently met, and he just insisted I bring him here." She walked over to me.  
  
"Mia," Cara said shooting me the most-knowing glance. "This is Michael Moscovitz. Michael, this is Mia." She said making me shake hands with this 'stranger.' Mia laughed and we shook hands.   
  
"Nice to meet you, Michael." She said, eyes gleaming. She loved the joke. I loved to see her happy, so I played along.  
  
"The pleasure's all mine Ms. Thermopolis." I said bowing gracefully. She laughed, and the whole room lit up.   
  
"Well," Cara said interrupting my thoughts. "You'd better get started on this wound, Mia. This looks like a fatal one." She said jokingly patting Mia's arm.  
  
Cara headed for the door of the apartment. This confused both Mia and I.   
  
"Where are you going?" Mia asked Cara as Cara struggled to get her pea coat back on.   
  
She looked at Mia with humor at first then with disappointment. "Why? What's up?" she asked as from the look of panic swept through Mia's face.  
  
"Nothing. I just… though you'd wanna hang out or something." Mia said.  
  
Cara's eyebrow rose. She looked as if she wanted to burst with laughter but then saw the seriousness in Mia's eyes.  
  
"Serious?" she asked before waiting for an answer rattled on. "Oh Mia, Hon, it's a Saturday night. I can't be 'hanging out' I've got places to go! People to see! The night is young and so am I! New York is my oyster! I am free to roam about it! I am ready for the night and the night welcomes me to **par-tay!**"  
  
"Work?" I asked butting in on her never-ending ramble  
  
"…Yeah."  
  
And with that Cara was out the door, leaving Mia smiling. Two minutes passed before Mia spoke.   
  
"Well," she said clapping her hands together. "I should take care of that. Just, um, wait here so I can go get my mom's first-aid… kit."  
  
She zoomed towards the stairs up to her mom's bedroom and tripped on the second step. I stood to help her, but as soon as she went down, she got up and ran. I looked around Mia's apartment and took a seat on her tartan sofa.  
  
Okay. I thought to myself. How am I going to do this? 

**MIA'S POV** ****I rushed into my mom's bathroom. I fished through the mounds of Tampax and hormonal medicines, to find a dusty first-aid kit. I pried open the ancient kit.  
  
-Soap  
-Seven different sizes of bandages  
-Scissors  
-Medical Tape  
-Anti-bacterial cream  
-An elastic (used as a tourniquet)   
-Tweezers  
-Cotton Swabs  
-Two boxes of Q-Tips  
-A manual for the Heimlich Maneuver   
  
Obviously we are top notch here in the Thermopolis house when it comes to medical attention.  
  
I grabbed the kit and ran down stairs to find Michael sitting on my couch taking off his shoes.  
  
I decided to make an entrance. I plopped myself down the stairs with the FA kit in my hand. "Sorry I took so long… mom's bathroom… kinda messy. You know how it is." I said dorkily. Waaaaaaay to go Mia. You're as smooth as a cactus.   
  
He smiled, though. God did he smile. I wanted to jump across the room and confess my love to him in his arms and then…  
  
"Mia?" Michael asked me with a look of perplexity stretched across his face. "Mia? Are you alright?" he asked.  
  
Way to spas, Mia.  
  
"Sorry. Spaced out." I walked over to him and sat on the couch so close, I could feel his body heat… wow. I'm a dork.  
  
I opened the kit and crossed my legs Indian style and Michael looked towards me.   
  
"Okay." I said calmly. "Can you just turn your head a little?"   
  
Michael turned about 90 degrees. Perfect… just like him.  
  
I dabbed a moist cloth over his slash on his forehead. It was pretty big to be an accident.  
  
"How'd you say you got this again?" I asked patting Benodryl onto my cloth. I didn't even know we owned Benodryl. I stopped myself. Better check the date on this thing…  
  
"I didn't." Michael said in reply to my inquiry, which I had completely forgotten about because my mind was focused on not poisoning a sex god.  
  
"Oh." I said getting the feeling I'm being iced away… must…shut...up.  
  
"No," he said facing me. "I mean, you never asked but I got it… because I tripped." He replied sounding uncertain of himself.  
  
"You tripped on what?" I asked.  
  
"…The stairs…"  
  
Nuh-uh. Not buying this. "You tripped on the stairs and only have a head injury on the top of your forehead?" I asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well…" Michael said trying to cover-up.  
  
"Then walked to an alley where Cara found you and you walked the whole way to my place because you magically fell on just the corner of your skull? Call me crazy, Michael, but I'm not buying it." I said looking deep into his beaten eyes.  
  
"ALRIGHT!" he said confessing. "I was in the alley before Cara found me and I was… thinking. I really don't know how I got it. I might've bumped my head or something."  
  
"Or something." I said running my finger over his cut. It seemed to be pretty deep, but I tried to go over it as gently as possible. "Ah…" he said flinching a little.  
  
Michael looked up at me. His hair was still wet and occasionally it dripped into my finger sending water down my hands and tingles down my spine.  
  
"Sorry… I'm trying to make you feel better. Trust me, you're in good hands, here." I joked.  
  
But Michael didn't joke. He stared into my face and answered very confidently, "I know… they're yours"   
  
I felt his hand touch my fingers a little and looked down at him. He reached for my hand but I took away pretending I needed   
  
"Now… this might sting a little, but I promise it'll be worth it." I said taking the brown bottle and pouring a dab of it onto a cotton swab the running it gently over his scar.  
  
Michael looked up at me with a look I've never seen before. It wasn't sarcastic or funny. Or compassion like when I was seven and my turtle died and he gave me his Star Wars lunch box. It meant the world to him. No, it was something different. It was… admiration.   
  
I placed an orange bandage on his forehead. "There!" I said looking it over with approval. I handed Michael a mini-mirror and he looked at his head, kind of shocked at the obnoxious-ness of his band aide.   
  
"Well," I said joining him in the mirror. "At least everyone will know it's my handy-work, although I don't know if in your case that's a good thing or a bad thing."  
  
Then Michael did something he has never ever done before. He placed the mirror down on my coffee table. He held my face tenderly in his rough hands, my guess is from playing his guitar. He touched the side of my dumb-stricken cheek smoothly. Chocolate eyes bore into mine then he did it.   
  
Michael kissed me. Deeply.   
  
I swear I had to have died and came back to life in the time he kissed me. It was that good. After parting from my lips he spoke smoothly. At first, I had no idea what he was saying, but then it came clear.   
  
"It's a good thing."

END OF CHAPTER!! Hopefully you all enjoyed it.  
**Hurry up at Review so I can post more.**  
  
Mucho love  
  
**[Controversial-Roses-]  
  
Oh, tell me if this is long enough. I've already written all the chapters, but I'm trying to see if I can add on for you. Just let me know in the review. I live to serve******


	6. Well, you got my hands shakin

**Authors Note:**

**You all knew it was coming!!!! I am so evil… thanks to reviewers and those who read and don't review… you stink. LoL, just jokin'.**

**;**** )**

RECAP-- _Michael kissed me. Deeply. I swear I had to have died and came back to life in the time he kissed me. It was __that__ good. After parting from my lips he spoke smoothly. At first, I had no idea what he was saying, but then it came clear.   
  
"It's a good thing."_

**MIA'S POV**

"Wh-Wha…" I said, completely bewildered. "What… What just happened?"   
  
Michael looked so ashamed. I knew it. I knew it was too good to be true. How can I be so dumb? Why did he kiss me? I'll tell you why. Loss of blood, that's why. I'm so stupid. Instead of fixing his _head_, he's breaking my _heart.  
  
_"I'm sorry, Mia. I don't know what came over me. I'll leave…now." Michael said. It may have just been the light, but I swear I was a tear in his eye. He stood up and bolted for the door. I had to figure this out, now.  
  
"No. Wait. Michael, don't go. I-I need to figure this out." My heart pounded like 10 thousand drums all being hit by toddlers with spoons…  
  
Wait… what?  
  
"Mia," Michael said softly. "I didn't mean to do this… you have Kenny. I-I just needed someone… but Judith and I loved… but I'm sure you love Kenny… and I-"  
  
Michael sighed. This made _no _sense to me… none what so ever.  
  
"Look, Mia. I'm not trying to scare you, but I really… _want_ you. But you have Kenny. And it was a mistake. I'm really sorry." He said dashing out the door.  
  
And that was it.  
That was all I got.  
  
An Aspirin and a few sobs later, I felt a lot better, yet a lot shittier. This was just too confusing. Did Michael really love me? Probably not. He said that he wanted me. What does that mean? I can never understand signals like this.  
  
"Mia! Honey I'm home!" My mom yelled from downstairs as she entered the apartment.   
  
I pushed my face further into my pillow as if I squashed my nose hard enough I could fall through to some imaginary land stuffed with feathers and dreams. A place where nightmares are executed and imaginings flow free in and out of the bricks on the sidewalks.  
  
And my guess is that's how I slept. Because the next morning I woke up with tear stains in my pillow and Fat Louie on my head.  
  
**MICHAEL'S POV**  
  
The other night was terrible. I've been trying to forget about it ever since. We both have. Mia and I that is. I took off my bandage as soon as I got home. I figure it'll be better if I don't remind myself of Mia _every day._   
It's been almost a week since I kissed Mia. Our concert is in two days and I honestly think I might pee myself. It's way too exciting to even imagine. I mean, the band and me have played tons of shows before, but none like this. This one could be _the concert that started it all.  
  
_Wow, that was cheesy.   
  
Anyway the line-up for the show is just genius. I'm so glad we've got a keyboarder for the show. Hopefully he'll be a permanent addition to Loose Ties.

**Here's the Line-up:**  
Calm Before the Storm  
Breathing  
Magazines Pop Punk Band  
Shiver  
Razorblades   
Jude Law and a Semester Abroad To be completely honest, I've been trying my hardest to get over Mia, but it hasn't honestly worked. A very sad sad truth is, I tried a dating service. I even kept a journal on it. It was a complete disaster  
  


**CHRISSY**

I met Chrissy at a Seafood restaurant. She seemed so sweet and she was really pretty, too. Her bright pink dress and matching… everything gave me the idea she was a real girly girl and I had never dated anyone like that before. It said on her profile that she enjoyed novels.   
**Michael**: Chrissy?  
**Chrissy**: Oh, yes! You must be Michael. Nice to meet you.  
**Michael**: Nice to meet you, too. You're looking very pretty tonight.  
**Chrissy**: OH MY GOD YOU HAVE LIKE NO IDEA HOW LIKE MUCH TIME IT TOOK ME TO LIKE GET READY I WOULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU AND I LIKE THINK YOU'RE SO LIKE _ADORABLE!_  
**Michael**: Oh… um, yes, thanks.  
**Chrissy**: This is such an exciting experience. Don't you think so? Excuse me, waiter get me a table please? Thanks a bunch Tommy boy.  
**Server**: My name's Patrick, Ms. Isola. I've told you this many times. Chrissy: Ohh, picky picky. Please Johnny, don't make me tell my daddy, k?  
  
She tipped the server and the bus boy. I was getting the out-of-place feeling I always get around rich people. Turns out her daddy owned the restaurant anyway, so this really wasn't much of an outing for her, but, I'll be perfectly honest, she wouldn't shut up the entire meal.  
  
**Chrissy**: This lobster is the best, don't ya think!?  
**Michael**: Um… sure. It-uh said in your resume that you enjoy fantasy novels? Which ones have you read?  
**Chrissy**: WELL, I liked Harry Potter, but I'll be honest I thought he was going to be a LOT cuter. Didn't you? I mean, they use him soooooo much in the books, you'd think this guy would've been like **WHOA** but he wasn't! And in the other books, he was, like, so TINY and in all the books he's older, but every time I look in up in the yellow pages, it always says **UNAVAILABLE**! I MEAN YOU'D THINK THIS MEGA WHOA WIZARD WOULD WANT TO BE FAMOUS!? BUT NOOOOOOOOO!   
**Michael**: I, uh, don't think Harry Potter is a real per-  
**Chrissy**: Yeah, you know what he's not? He's like such a faker. I bet he likes Stephanie!  
**Michael**: Stephanie…?  
**Chrissy**: You know, the brown haired wizard who needs a SERIOUS makeover?  
**Michael**: I've never read the books, but isn't her name Hermione?   
**Chrissy**: Oh my gosh, that's such an UGLY name, HERMIONE! Stephanie, is soo much prettier.   
**Michael**: I guess so, but the author put Hermione in there so shouldn't that be what you call her?  
**Chrissy**: Oh my God, **MIKEY!** YOU THINK HERMIONE IS PRETTIER THEN ME, DON'T YOU?!  
**Michael**: What? No, no. Chrissy, you're very pretty.  
**Chrissy**: YOU'RE SUCH A LIAR! JUST LIKE HARRY AND STEPHAINE!! YOU JUST WANT ME FOR MY BRAIN!   
**Michael**: Check? Waiter, check please?  
**Chrissy**: I AM TOTALLY OUT OF HERE! YOU CAN TAKE BACK YOUR STUPID RING!  
**Michael**: What? I never gave you a ring!   
**Chrissy**: FINE! I'M **LEAVING**! And with that note, she was out of the restaurant faster then you could ever imagine. I've never seen anyone walk so fast in platform shoes in my entire life. Oh, and did I mention? Everyone in the restaurant had turned to look at me.  
  
**Michael**: Check…? Anyone at all?  
  
This is just a sample of the hell I've been through trying to get a date for my concert. It's pitiful. I've been through about nine Chrissy's, one extremely Goth girl who kept telling me _the stars_ were out to get me, two girls who had to be home by 8:30 to take their **medicine**, a forty-year-old woman who told me… weird things. 

I'm deeply scared by a few of them. One girl tried to cut my meat at dinner. I met a girl named Paige who kept screaming in the movie theater until eventually we got thrown out. It was a disaster. We went to see Anchorman and the entire time she kept shrieking out, "OHHH! THEY ARE TOOOOOOOTALLY GUNNA END UP DUKEING IT!!" I have no idea what the word DUKE means! 

And I'm sitting here writing in my Live Journal trying to think of a way I could possibly get one of these girls to show up at my concert and not talk at all. It's physically impossible.  
  
As I look over my journal entries on each girl, I shudder. What possessed me to date these women?  
  
The Goth girl might stay quiet until she feels the _presence of another_ over sushi again.  
  
Mega Whoa.  
  
**MIA'S POV**

****  
In all honesty, I hate Grandmere.   
  
I mean, it's no longer a teenager-mad-at-the-world thing. She's gone above and beyond the call of evil and made my life a living hell.   
  
Today I went over Tina's and we walked to the near by Plaza to buy magazines, make-up, and junk food. We were obviously planning a sleepover because Tina didn't have to work at the stables the next day and I had no lessons.   
  
We got home and waited for Shameeka to arrive. Tina started flipping through magazines and I tried on this new Ravin' Raspberry lip-gloss. It seemed like something Lana would wear. So, I tossed it in the trash.   
  
"OH MY GOD, MIA! YOU'RE IN MY MAGAZINE!" Tina yelped hoping up from her King size bed.   
  
"Yeah right. I've never modeled before in, like, my whole life!" I said picking out the Purple Plum nail polish. What is it with these manufactures? They're obsessed with fruit!  
  
"SERIOUSLY, MIA! LOOK FOR YOURSELF!" Tina screamed.   
  
And there it was.  
  
In bright pink and yellow letters on the top of page 26.  
  
**PRINCESS IN PINK POSES FOR PAPARAZZI!**  
  
It had a whole article about me. I cannot believe this. Just when I had gotten the whole 'princess thing' back on the DL, Grandmere completely thrashed my reputation, again!   
  
I had to find Lilly.  
  
She always knew what to do about these things. She dealt with people's rubbish all the time. And if she couldn't do anything, at least she could make me feel better with big words.   
  
Tina and I hobbled into her Limo and Wahim drove us to Lilly's place.  
  
**End Chapter SIX.   
Like it, Hate it, Review it.   
  
xOxO**  



	7. I beggin you, oh baby, please stop break...

**I Love Reviewers. I honestly love them all as much as I love chocolate. In fact, if you give me a little detail about yourself, I can incorporate you in my stories!**  
THE LOVELYS

Robtaymattloudned- hmm. Good question. I think Michael knows, but Mia's just sort of slow about the whole thing.

Fizzie Lizzie- Believe it or not, I really do know someone who's exactly like that. ;)

Ahhh- Thanks!! Here's your update! :D

Moonstone- No, probably not. But you'll have to read this chapter to find out, :D

micarmine05- I'm really glad you like my story. It means a lot to me. Chrissy is a funny gal. I might incorporate her later in the story, we'll have to see ;) Oh, I LOVE How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. I saw it with a bunch of my girlfriends and we were hysterical the whole time!

Authentic- You're well-awaited chapter! This is the one I think is about you. EVERYONE knows what Duke is, Karen. Guh-eeze. Colleen was the 'Goth chick feeling a presence over sushi' LOL. This one's for you!!

DISCLAIMER: Story of the Year owns the first song Razorblades and the second song, Jude Law and a Semester Abroad, belongs to the genius band, Brand New. 

**MICHAEL'S POV**

(Michael-regular Felix-**bold**. Both-_Italicized.)_  
1 2 3

**Yeeaaaahh, Yeeaaaahh** Walking Example of you.Just wait for the silence.Talking backwards to you, it meant nothing to me. Watching the world fall on you, I'm keeping my eyes closed._Now I can see what this means to you,_**It meant nothing to me.** This wasted so many nights and again, **I've wasted so much time on a friend,**Too young too proud to understand, _So this is the end._ Perfect timing for you to run until your legs break.So here's my reminder of you, **It meant nothing to me.** _This wasted so many nights and again, __I've wasted so much time on a friend,__Too young too proud to understand,_ _So this is the end._ We should have seen this coming, We should have seen this...**Yeeaaaahh, Yeeaaaahh** This wasted so many nights and again, **I've wasted so much time on a friend,**Too young too proud to understand, _So this is the end.__Yeah this is the end!_**__**  
  
"DAMN! I LOVE THAT SONG!" Felix said banging hard on the base. He had eventually forgiven me after I told him about my excuse for being the biggest ass ever. "LET'S ROCK THAT ONE OUT AGAIN!"  
  
"Easy, tiger." Shane said shaking hair out of his face. "We've still got to perfect Michael's song." He nodded towards me. Felix and Jake, our drummer, exchanged glances.  
  
"Ok, seriously what is with the smirks, dude? Every time Shane talks about my song, you both go into super secret mode." I said resting my guitar down and running to my case for the next song's music.  
  
"Nothing, dude. We just love your song." Jake said defensively. Felix and Jake started swaying singing my song.  
Felix perked up singing rather loudly, "TELL ALL THE ENGLISH LADS YOU MEET!" 

Shane and I laughed while Jake pretended to smash hard on the drums "DUN DUN DUN!"

"TELL THEM ABOUT ME CAUSE I'M JUST TOO HOT AND I'VE GOT FAN GIRRRRRRRRLS!" Felix yelped at the top of his lungs. It was really funny to watch this guys at practice. They get so hyped. The bands a real laugh-a-minute. It's easy to tell Shane will be with us a while.  
  
I love the band before shows and when we schedule different band events. That's why we have to make it with this band. I've got dreams and ambitions to fall back on. They don't.  
  
Jake entered my mind pretending to be me singing really high notes, "LA LA LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"  
  
"Come on now, kids. Let's do the next song before my ass falls asleep." Shane said.  
Felix frowned like a little puppy. "Yes mom" he joked.  
  
Jude Law and a Semester Abroad  
(Michael-regular Felix-bold. Both-_Italicized.)_  
  
Whatever poison's in this bottle will leave me broken sore and stiff.  
But it's the genie at the bottom who I'm sucking at.  
He owes me one last wish.  
_So here's a present to let you know I still exist.  
I hope the next boy that you kiss has something terribly contagious on his lips.  
_I got a plan. (I got a plan)_  
_Drink for forty days and forty nights.  
A sip for every second-hand tick.  
_And for every time you fed me the line, "you mean so much to me..."_  
I'm without you.

So tell all the English boys you meet 

About the American boy back in the states.  
The American boy you used to date.  
_Who would do anything you say._

_Tell all the English boys you meet _

_about the American boy back in the states._  
The American boy you used to date.  
_Who would do anything you say._

And even if her plane crashed tonight she'll find some way to disappoint me,  
by not burning in the wreckage, or drowning at the bottom of the sea.  
Yes, I still taste you, thus reserve my right to hate you.  
And all this empty space that you create does 

Nothing for my flawless sense of style.

It's 8:45. 

The weather is getting better by the hour.  
I hope it rains there all the time.  
_And if you ever said you miss me then don't say you never lied.  
_I'm without you.

So tell all the English boys you meet

about the American boy back in the states.  
The American boy you used to date.  
_Who would do anything you say._

_Tell all the English boys you meet _

_about the American boy back in the states.  
_The American boy you used to date.

_Who would do anything you say.  
_Who would do anything you say.__

_You're never gonna get it right.  
You're never gunna get it._

_You're never gonna get it right.  
You're never gunna get it._

_You're never gonna get it right.  
You're never gunna get it._

_You're never gonna get it right.  
You're never gunna get it._

You're never gonna get it right.  
You're never gunna get it.  
Okay, no more songs about you.  
After this one I'm done.  
You're gone.__

_  
_So tell all the English boys you meet

about the American boy back in the states.  
The American boy you used to date.  
_Who would do anything you say._  
_Tell all the English boys you meet _

_about the American boy back in the states.  
_The American boy you used to date.  
_Who would do anything you say._  
  
"IT'S A FREAKIN MIRACLE!" James bounced off the drums and started waltzing around the room with Felix. We had done it.  
  
My little Loose Ties accomplished the most difficult song we've ever had to perform. And to think, in two days, this would all pay off. Like Spongebob, I'm totally ready… not that I watch Spongebob or anything.  
  
I've just got one more song to sing.  
  
**MIA'S POV**

I arrived at Lilly's apartment in ten minutes and I still had fury bubbling inside me. Rage was not a term normally used to describe me, but today was different. I can't trust my own _family. _Who am I supposed to trust? Honestly, royalty is totally stressing me out.  
  
That was a dumb comment.  
  
"LILLY?!" Tina yelled as soon as we walked into the apartment. No one answered. We invited ourselves in, of course, and now questioned if anyone was even occupying the house. It looked so empty. The clock on Lilly's kitchen counter read 5:46.  
  
"Maybe we should sit down…?" I suggested.  
  
"Um, Mia. As fun as that sounds, this is sort of breaking-and-entering. Don't get me wrong, I just LOVE contravention. My favorite part about it is when we sit in their kitchen and wait for them to get home, bu-" Tina was cut off my her own cell phone ringing. I noticed Michael's jacket hanging on the coat rack.  
  
Well, _someone_ was home.  
  
"Mia, I'll be right back." Tina said as she stepped outside Lilly's apartment. We don't normally get good reception.  
  
I sat in silence in the Moscovitz's kitchen just mildly twiddling my thumbs. I knew Michael was home, but where was he? I know this doesn't sound like me, but I needed to sort out what happened. I'm really not being myself today, but I guess in some ways, it's better like this.

Two beeps and a long tone interrupted my concentration. I shoveled through my bag to find my cell phone. Kenny had left me a text message.  
  
Mia- Cant wait 2 c u 2 days. Call me l8r

Luv

-Kenny  
  
This kind of attention from Kenny made me feel bad as a girlfriend, and a person. I remember watching Lifetime movies with Tina and Shameeka where women would cheat on their boyfriends of husbands and we used to always hate them.  
  
I haven't told Tina about what happened with Michael and I, but I honestly need to tell someone. If I told Lilly I know she'd freak on me. I could tell Tina, but I feel as if it needs to stay private until I figure it out.

"Shit." Tina swore as she hung up her cell. "I gotta go to work. One of the horses is giving birth! It's so exciting! I need to be there, Mia. You coming? Or you want to hang out at Lilly's _without her _a little more?" Tina said tossing my coat at me.  
  
This had to end.  
  
"Actually, Tina. I'm thinking I'll stay here. I-I don't like blood… or guts…and I want to see if Lilly comes home cause, ya know, she's good at stuff like what I'm going through and I might need a lawyer for my own family which would suck but I really need to identify if lawsuits are necessary because Grandmere might be invading a right from the Constitution and… I'm rambling aren't I?" I said stopping myself abruptly and taking in oxygen.  
  
Tina walked to the door. "Yeah. I understand what you mean, though."  
  
"Oh, good. I'm just going to make my Veggie burger anyway." I said relieved she didn't figure out why I was really staying.  
  
"Hey Mia," she said opening the door.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have fun with Michael." She said closing the door behind her boot heel. Tina winked at me.  
  
Never underestimate the power of Tina. 

**MICHAEL'S POV**

I got home from practice to a silent house. Lilly had left me a note that she'd be back around nine. Boris had an allergic reaction… blah blah blah… hospital room 143… blah blah blah…keep peanuts out of cookies… blah blah blah  
  
I tossed my jacket on the rack and my house keys in the bowl. 5:23. I've got a few hours before Lilly returns.  
  
I walked up the stairs to my room to find everything scattered across the floor. The window was open, they're were old food wrappers on the floor and a few stains here and there.  
  
Ahh, just how I left you.  
  
I walked over to my desk and plopped on the little headphones to my IpoD. I've gotta say, they can be an utter annoyance. Call me old fashioned, but I like the huge clunky ones you have to put on your ears. Not in them.

My IpoD kind of reminds me of when you were a little kid and your parents took you for a check-up. You'd sit there, humming your merry tune, when this bald guy would come and ask you questions followed up by him sticking large amounts of black plastic in your little ears.  
  
Yeah, I'm a random kid.

The first song that came into my eardrums was the Postal Service-Such Great Heights. Cara had recommended them to me and I didn't like them very much at the beginning. She explained how it wasn't really 'a guy song'. But as of recently, they've become more of my guilty pleasure.  
  
I sank onto my bed thinking about the up-coming concert… how well planned I was about, yet at the same time so unprepared. There were so many things I wanted to be done at this concert… sort of stressing, yet sort of exciting.

I must've dosed off, because next thing I knew, it's 6:12.  
  
Fatigue… suckage. I jumped off of my bed and took off my Qtips, and tossed them in a drawer sticking out of my desk. 

I opened the door to my room, I'm sure looking my best, and who do I see sitting in my kitchen indulging herself in a Veggie Burger?  
  
That's right, audience. Feast your eyes on Mia Thermopolis.  
  
**MIA'S POV**

After burning myself twice and not being able to find the rolls for about ten minutes, I finally sat down to enjoy a Veggie Burger. I took one bite and decided cooking was not my thing.  
  
"Uh… Mia?" Michael asked peering down at me in the doorway of his room.  
  
"Holy shit!" I said jumping and I'm sure spewing out hamburger. I put my hand over my heart. Beating twice as fast. That's normal, because I'm around Michael Moscovitz. 

"Thermopolis, not to be rude, but… uh… why are you in my kitchen?" Michael asked coming down the stairs into the kitchen.  
  
Dodge. Run now, Mia. He'll never know… he'll think he was hallucinating.  
  
See, my brain is always so nice to me. I'm almost 100 percent sure it tries to make me achieve higher then I can. Like now, it's telling me to get out of the Moscovitz's apartment, but my other half of my brain is laughing at it going, 'Hahahahaha. Are you kidding!? She can't even MOVE! You obviously know nothing and should keep your silly, silly opinions yourself'  
  
"Thermopolis…? You, uh, in there?" Michael said. Oh great. He's sitting next to me now. Way to be smooth, Mia.  
  
"Sorry, Michael. I just got here, and, um, IwantedtoseeLillybutshewasn'thereso… um. I'd thought I'd wait. I saw you sleeping and I didn't want to wake you, but I wanted to stay incase… uh… Lilly came home? Yeah. In case she came home." I said panicky.

Michael makes my hands sweat… I mean, more then usual. I kept wiping them on my jeans so incase our fingers touched, it wasn't like I just greased my hands.  
  
So really that statement went, 'Sorry wipe Michael. I just got wipe here and, um, wipe…'  
  
You get the idea.  
  
"Why'd you stay here? Did you know I was home?" Michael questioned.  
  
"Well, yeah. I just thought I'd wait for Lilly that's all." I said looking at my combat boots. I just got new, pink shoelaces and they make the boots, like, ten times hotter.  
  
Michael gave me a sly smile. "Here for Lilly, eh?" I blushed profusely.  
  
"Yepp." I am totally sticking to my plan, Michael Moscovitz. Right now one part of my brain is nagging the other one 'UGH! I TOLD YOU SHE SHOULDA RAN! YOU NEVER LISTEN!'  
  
"One might wonder," Michael said leaning on the table between us, "Why you didn't call Lilly's cell?"  
  
"Didn't want to make her… rush or anything." I said.  
  
"Really?" He said, still smiling. "Interesting…" Michael said. He was looking into my eyes now.  
  
"Michael! Are you suggesting that I'm here for… something other then to see my good friend Milly?! That's ridiculous!" I said in defense of myself.  
  
Michael leaned in closer to me. I smelt him… weird I know, but I did it anyway.  
  
"Lilly." He said grinning wider then I've ever seen. He cupped my face in his hands and gently fondled my cheek with his thumb. _This was abuse!  
  
_Slowly, he pulled his face closer to mine and started to kiss me. I reached my arm behind his head and ran my fingers through his hair. Oh, it felt so good.  
  
Michael pulled away grinning. He dropped my hand gently on my lap. "Well, see you later, Mia." He said still smiling.  
  
Wait, what?  
  
I guess he could tell by the look of complete bewilderment spread across my face, that I was a little shocked, and even a little hurt by this.  
  
"You're with Showalter, remember?" he said grinning… still!  
  
I had completely forgotten about Kenny. How terrible was I? Sitting here making-out with Michael Moscovitz when I had a boyfriend!  
  
"Hey," Michael said touching my arm. "Remember, you'll always have me as a friend." Those words killed me. Michael saw in my eyes he hurt me.  
"But if you ever change your mind… you've got my number." He winked… what is it with the constant winking?!  
  
"Later, princess." He said kissing me on the cheek.

Which was Michael's way of saying, 'Make your decision soon.'  
  
…Or maybe he was really saying, 'See ya later, Mia.'  
  
I need to stop thinking now.  
  
Yeah, this was a long one. It's like 4:00am, so I gotta crash. But quick note first:  
  
Karen, this is totally you ;)  
Review=Updates… a durrrrrr.  
3 till next time


	8. Because I got the feelin you and I will ...

**This is not an update, but more of an apology. I didn't realize until after I had posted chapter seven that I had left out some reviewers. See, my e-mail account isn't working, blah blah blah. Anyway, here's the reviewers I missed.  
  
Hgill  
SRAndrews  
Gatorchick007  
  
Sorry!!!!  
  
Love,  
me.**


	9. I'll leave the door open all night

**Authors Note:**

**Hi!! Thanks to all the reviewers, you're the reason I continue.  
  
And with that said, I'll begin the chapter!**

**  
MIA'S POV  
  
**_"Hey, it's Mia. Leave your beep after the message… I mean... wait!"  
  
_**-BEEP-  
  
**"Mia? Mia, it's Kenny. Please pick up. We haven't talked in ages! I-I miss you, Mia. What happened? Is everything ok? The shows tomorrow, Mia! I want to see you again. I just want to…-gulp- seeyourface." Kenny heaved a heavy sigh. "Well, I bet your running out of tape, so I'm going to go now. But please Mia, call me, ok? I love you."  
  
At this point my answering machine started talking gibberish about the end of message one. I played with the string at the end of my pillowcase. My blue nail polish was chipped. I gnawed against my cuticles until it bled.

I felt like a cinder block had been dropped at the bottom of my stomach. How was I going to tell him?  
  
Yesterday after Michael and I kissed, I left Lilly's. I couldn't take it. Michael is such a confusing person. I left her a note that I was there and that we needed to talk. Still haven't heard from her… wonder what's wrong?  
  
A deep sigh came shooting out of my chest. Why am I doing this? It's easy. I break up with Kenny, I get Michael… right? But that doesn't seem right. How much of a terrible person would I be if I just left Kenny like that to be with someone else?

I heard the buzzer to the apartment go off. I of course paid no attention to it and threw myself under a pillow. How to tell Kenny… there had to be a way that wouldn't hurt him. And that's my main priority… don't hurt Kenny.  
And get Michael.  
  
I pushed the pillow harder against my scalp. Why am I being such a… bitch?

**MICHAELS POV  
  
**"Cooking cooking cooking. Michael loves the cooking! Michael is hurting his hands while cooking! Lala, OH COOOOOO-"  
  
"CAN IT, MICHAEL! I'LL BE DOWN THERE TO **KICK YOUR ASS** IN SEVEN SECONDS IF YOU DON'T _SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!" _Lilly cackled down the steps to my happy haven of baking.  
  
"Party pooper!" I yelled back to her. I had been a cooking spree the entire evening. I made stupid stuff, omelets with faces of ham, pancakes with an attempt to look like Mickey Mouse (but really looking like a dump truck), a little bacon mountain I like to call, CONQUERING THE EVILS OF LILLY.  
  
Really, it was fascinating.  
  
When I was little my parents and I always did this fun thing called Breakfast for Dinner. I was just trying to re-invent my youth before Lilly decided to morph in to 'Rosemary's baby' mode.  
  
I sat down with all my lovely creations and began to eat. Oh, Michael. You're such a fabulous cook.  
  
I cooked on my words… and my pancake. "Or not..." I said aloud standing from my chair to get a drink. I felt something sticking on the hem of my pant pocket and turned to see a magazine hanging from my pants.  
  
I pulled it off and was stunned to see Mia modeling in an extremely classy evening gown. I slowly sank back into my seat and read things about Mia I've never known. My foot tapped to a single beat that popped into my head.  
  
I stood up slowly and pushed away my food. This really was no time for childhood. **MICHAEL'S POV**

Mia's buzzer had my fingertips shaking. I'm glad I hit the right button. I leaned my head against the wall outside her apartment building. The sky looked so clear. But you couldn't see a star. Hell, you can never see a star in this city.

"Yeah?" was the speaker box's response. It was Mrs. Thermopolis. I took in a deep breath and reached out to press the button for the Thermopolis's apartment. Now or never.  
  
Single droplets drip slowly onto my skull. What the…?  
**MIA'S POV**

A couple of months ago I was in Genovia. Out on the castle's Grand Courtyard there was a small white bench. I slept there two nights in a row until Grandmere caught me and told me that I was a disgusting animal who needed to be trained like her dog. Those two nights were the best of my time in Genovia. Know why?  
  
I could see stars.  
  
Billions of them! Just floating overhead. If you focused on one star, you'd realize that there were millions more in the same exact spot. Stars are truly astonishing.  
  
I hauled a sleeping bag along with a jumble of paper, a pen, my cell phone, and a flashlight and staggered onto my fire escape. No stars… never are.  
  
I notice a leaking pipe on the side of my house. Hmm… inspiration is coming in short circuits tonight.  
  
**Dripping Pipe  
  
**_A dribble and a drip.  
The facets won't tip.  
Will melodies make you with of me?  
Specks of tile and a signal harmony.  
Shower Singer… oh shower singers._

_  
_What the hell is this garbage!? I ripped up the piece of paper and threw it over the railing. Why am I struggling so much?  
  
"Hey, princess!" someone yelled beneath me. I looked through the grid of iron to see Michael Moscovitz standing under my fire escape with shreds of paper in his hair and on his jacket. "Drop something?" he asked smiling.  
  
I shook my head.  
  
"No? Well then I guess we'll have a problem. Littering isn't what nice girls do." He said with his usual goofy grin… his gorgeous, wonderful, goofy grin.  
  
I inhaled and tried my best not to squeak. "If you promise not to tell the cops, I promise I won't litter." I said trying not to stammer. He laughed and even from a story above I knew his eyes were twinkling. I smiled weekly at him. What can I do? **I** know I want to be with him, **he** just doesn't know that.  
  
"Let me up?" he asked pointing to the intercom. I shook my head silently. The twinkle on his facial expression faded. He looked at me somberly and shrugged his shoulders as he started to walk away.  
  
I jumped to the ladder and asked leaning on the side railing. "Where you going?"  
  
He turned around looking confused. He saw the ladder and right away the glimmer in his expression popped back into my head.  
  
He gracefully walked up the ladder to my little slumber party. "Hmm…" Michael said. "Nice crib, Thermopolis."  
  
"Yeah. I cleaned up." I said kicking the flashlight to the side. Michael laughed and we both just sort of stood there for a second until he reached out and took a pillow from under my sleeping bag.  
  
**MICHAEL'S POV  
  
**I guess by stealing her pillow I sort of threw Mia a little. Once we sat down things seemed a lot calmer between us and the tension was gone… sort of.  
  
"Thermopolis," I began taking her out of her daze. "I was, um, cooking before and I sat on you… well not **you**, per say. But I sat on my kitchen chair and I… found this." I said handing her the magazine draped in her pictures. She flushed a bit taking the magazine from me.  
  
"…Thanks." She mumbled. I couldn't stand it any more. I had come with so much to say, so many things to be accomplished. And with the sight of Mia gazing away at the star-less Manhattan sky I had lost them all. I felt paper in my sweatshirt pocket. The song I had written for Mia was still gently folded in my grasp.  
  
"Michael," Mia asked flipping through pages of photos of herself. "Michael, why are… you here?" she inquired, her voice shaking.  
  
"To give you your magazine." I said nodding towards her hands.  
  
"Please," she said holding up her hand. "Michael the past few days have been the most confusing days of my life. Why are you here? Do you honestly have feelings for me? I can't do this to Kenny, Michael." Mia confessed holding her blonde hair in her fingertips. I saw two silent tears run down the side of her face.  
  
"Mia," I said gently touching her arm. "Look, I'm really sorry. I'll leave you alone." I stood up from her pillow and brushed off my pants. I felt a slight tug on the hem of my pants.  
  
"Please," Mia said. "I haven't been able to write at all. If you're going to leave, give me an explanation."  
  
"Ok, princess." I took her hand in mine. "Just give me one thing."  
  
**A/N: I'm sorry this was so short. I just REALLY want to get onto the next chapter. I have a few ideas many of you will like… hopefully ;) I think this was a bad follow-up to the other chapter. Sorry. It will get better.  
  
Reviews are appreciated and needed for me to post the next chapter. :D  
  
Until next time,  
_Oh we're soo… _  
Contraversial-Roses  
  
**


	10. If you decide you wanna stop on by

**I can't believe I've made it this far with this story. I'm extremely thankful to all reviewers you're all the most complimentary people I've ever met. Thank you.**

**But my e-mail still sucks so when I thank you next time, I'll try really hard to actually remember all of you. –Embarrassed look-**

**I was going in a** **different direction with this chapter, but my good friend had a difficult scenario in her life so I decided to make this more appropriate for her.**

**Disclaimer-** I don't any of the original ideas, which belong to Meg Cabot. If I did, I'd be rich and my computer wouldn't bite the big one. 

**MICHAEL'S POV**

I sat with Mia's hand in mine and explained myself. The song, Judith's intentions of dating Adam, my injudicious behavior, everything. Relief washed over her moon-struck face with every passing sentence. But every time Kenny's name came up, the look of joy would wash itself away.

Mia talked with me and explained how she couldn't just dump Kenny like that. It was too harsh. I mean, the guy did proclaim love to her… yet so did I. But Mia seemed too confused by the whole situation that I didn't want to make it more stressful to her. I should be happy for her, when secretly I'd like to hang Kenny's intestines outside my window…

Yeah, ok. I'm totally not crazy.

I told Mia that I promise to leave her and Kenny alone. She just gave me a silent nod as two tears ran down the sides of her cheeks. I kissed her on the cheek wiping away one of her tears with my lip.

This is when all hell broke loose.

**MIA'S POV**

"MIA!" he screamed as he burst through my door staring at Michael and I sitting on my fire escape with my hand in his. Fury ran through Kenny's eyes. If there was one way I was going to break up with Kenny this wouldn't be it.

I jumped to my feet and scurried towards him as he stood in the center of my room with shock all over his face. I tried to calm him as best I could, though my words did nothing.

"Kenny. Oh God, Kenny I'm sorry. Listen I've been trying to figure this out and-" I gently reached for his hand.

"Shut up, Mia." He interrupted slapping his hand away from mine. The shock was replaced by anger. I took in a vague sent of Kenny as he spit at me. Alcohol. He really doesn't know what "Four months. Four months, Mia and this is what I get from you? I should've known as soon as you got your little make over you'd become this clingy, immature teenager." He said pushing me away from him.

"Hey, Kenny." Michael said defensively. "Let's not get out of control. It's not Mia's fault so don't be angry with her. If you're going to be angry with anyone let it be me." Michael said stepping closer to Kenny. "I don't think you know what you're doing."

Kenny laughed loudly. "Judith wasn't enough for you? God, Moscovitz you always need more. Or was Mia just a little toy for you until you got out of your little rut? You were always selfish, but I didn't know it could come so far as to taking other people's girlfriends." Kenny said spitting at Michael.

"Kenny…" I said gently trying to take him out of this mode. "Please, listen."

"Don't 'Kenny' me you rancid groupie."

"Hey!" Michael said growing angry he stood closer to Kenny and I knew it was my cue to back away. But why was I being such a coward? Lilly always tells me to fight for myself, so why wasn't I? Suddenly I heard a large slam and Kenny was on the floor with Michael standing over him. I let out a shriek and Lars ran into the room. He tossed Michael aside and demanded an explanation.

Michael ran a few fingers through his hair and looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Lars. I took it out of control. It won't happen again." I stood there in the back of the room like a diminutive child.

"NOW HE'S FIGHTING FOR YOU?" Kenny screamed as Lars pulled him up, his lip bleeding. "YOU NEVER COULD DEFEND YOURSELF, COULD YOU PRINCESS?" Lars hassled to keep Kenny under his left arm. I'd never seen him this angry. It was so out of character.

"Michael, I think it would be best if you left." Lars said to Michael. This is enough. "IT'S FUNNY, THOUGH. I'M SURE YOU HAVE NO TROUBLE KISSING MICHAEL, EH? GOD, MIA YOU ALWAYS WERE A TERRIBLE LIAR." Kenny screamed as Michael headed towards the fire escape.

I wish he would just shut up. I want to punch him so badly. I've never really hit anyone before.

Kicking has always been my thing.

I stood back and balanced my weight on the balls of my feet. I took my aim at Kenny as his mouth was still on full ramble of mean things towards me. I couldn't take it! Lars was still struggling to maintain Kenny as I swung my leg back and took on full force right at his…'nether region'. Two seconds later, Kenny's eyes were bulging out of his head, filled with tears.

Lars turned to look at me with a raised eyebrow. My hands quickly covered my mouth as I had forgotten what exactly I just did. Oh my goodness. I just kicked Kenny's… thingy! I let out a small gasp and tried my best not to over obsess.

"Well," Lars said in as cool of a voice as he always had. "That's what happeneds when you bad mouth a lady."

**MIA'S POV**

I picked my purple phone off the cradle and started dialing. Once the ringing came I flopped myself onto my bed with my green fuzzy slippers in the air. Sunshine filled most of my room like a soft mist. 10:30am. It's going to be a good day.

I called Kenny before and apologized for last night. He did also, but was still angry with me. He explained that he didn't mean the hurtful things and that it was the Budweiser that got the best of him.

"Hello?" I heard from the other side of the earpiece. A voice I've longed to hear for so long. Someone who needs to be apart of my life right now.

You're thinking Michael, right?

Girls are the pearls, love.

"Hey, Tina. It's Mia. Boy do I have a story for you…"

**MICHAEL'S POV**

Not too sure what's happening with Mia right now. I remember last night and how she totally took a nice swift kick at Kenny. It really didn't seem like Mia, but Kenny was pretty aggravating so I could see where she was coming from. As Mia had her mini panic attack, I ducked out gracefully tripping down the fire escape. The band and I have been warming up all day. I haven't sung much, as to not wear out my voice. Warming up is key. We do have a new line-up, though.

Breathing  
Shiver  
Razorblades  
Calm Before the Storm  
The Tension and the Terror  
Jude Law and a Semester Abroad  
Magazines

Shane had us add a new song we've only recently started working on. He said it'd be exclusive for our small crowd, something for them to tell their friends. I'm thinking we put it in after The Tension and the Terror. Anyway, the name of the song is Wonder wall. Shane wrote it last minute and we've been practicing it all week.

I honestly think we're ready for this.

**MIA'S POV**

I talked to Tina for about an hour and after a desperately needed shower, I asked Lars to drive me over to her place.

We talked about everything.

I really missed her. Comforting was never anything I was good at, but Tina. She could do it professionally. With Kenny we decided it would be best if we didn't see each other for a while. Which would mean that I would have an extra ticket to tnights show so…

"OH MY GOSH!" Cara screamed once I told her the news. "I WOULD LOVE TO COME! THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIA! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" was the reaction I got from Cara. I'm guessing she's a yes.

Cara questioned how I had an extra ticket when she couldn't find them anywhere. It wasn't that the band was sold out… you just couldn't find them. With a deep sigh I told her a friend backed out.

Hey, she doesn't need to know. I'm not an open book anymore. Besides, the whole world doesn't need to know my story.

Not from me at least. It'll be all over the papers tomorrow.

I talked to Grandmere this morning and she explained about the Parliament meeting that was scheduled in three days. As soon as the concerts over, I'm heading to Genovia for a while. Maybe there I can figure some things out.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

NEW TWIST! I know some of you might be thinking it was a little out of character for Mia to kick Kenny like she did, but I think it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. And besides, afterwards she did have a panic attack.

I have a new little dilemma. See, I hate it when people write,

_'Ooh this sucks, I hate my story, blah blah blah, have pity on me. BUT READ IT ANYWAY.'_ Newsflash, if you're story sucks and you say that it does, people don't want to read it.  
I've rarely seen it here, but honestly. Try and have a little more confidence, eh? Until next time,  
Maureen


End file.
